overview on english studies

What I have learnt in English Studies for these few weeks.

In these few weeks of learning the subject of EST, i have learnt a few things about literature.

I have learnt many new things in literature that is personification, oxymoron, paradox, and many other more. I have to admit that before i really do not have any knowledge on literature. So when we start this class for first time, i really worried that i cannot catch up with what Mr Camillus's lecture. But so far thank heaven that i can catch up with Mr Cammilus even is it a little (well consider that this class is 5 hours in a week and so many things that have to be catch up in other subject).

In this class also for the first time i learn to really analysis literature pieces like Lamb To The Slaughter and Ballad Of Birmingham. Before i just read and write down everything that i read but now I learnt to really read the literature pieces (I meant really read…) that I start to search for more information on the literature pieces that I read so I can comprehend more on the pieces. There are many of the pieces that I really do not understand and go into the pieces itself such as Birthday and The Chrysanthemums while for poem, The Three Berserah Fisherman, Africa and Do Not Go Gentle In That Goodnight. I guess maybe it is because my classmate the one that present the pieces and some of them really do not gave much input on us.

For now I still confuse about the poem rhyme, it is differ from what I have learnt during my secondary school. But in the mean time I guess that I will learn about it more although it might take quite a time.

Thank you.

Gloria 12/10/2011 8.02

What I learned in my English Studies Class?

For me literature is not a new subject for me but for this time I think this literature is a bit tougher compare to the secondary literature. I need to admit it that I really don’t like to study about literature either in Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Inggeris. But after I read and learned about some of the poem I feel my desire to learn literature have increase but not too much. Now I know why people loves to read and learned about literature, it fun. The ways Mr Camillus handle this class is good and he explain more about the short stories and poems makes me understand more about it.

First of all, I gain a lot of knowledge from reading and analysing this short stories and poems. From the short stories I gain a lot of moral values that I can apply in my daily life. One of the moral value is we should not celebrating any celebration if there is death person in your neighbouring to respect the deceased. For me, we can still celebrate it but do not make it very fun and noisy as usual, because our celebration maybe can be celebrated next time but the deceased will not return or come back to the decease’s family.

Only one out of ten short stories that I like in this book which is ‘The Garden Party’. I like this short story because it gave me a lot of moral values. The ways Katerine Mansfield wrote her story is attracting and easy to understand. The words that she used are not too difficult to be understood because I can guess the meaning of some new words that I find in the story. This story is simple but interesting.

While for the poem, I like and love the poem ‘Ballad of Birmingham’ by Dudley Randall. This poem is about a girl who insists to go to the March for country freedom but her mother did not allow her to go. Her mother sent her to the church instead to join the children. But during singing the church being bomb by the terrorist and the child dies in the bombing. I feel pity to the child but we a human cannot predict what will happen in the future. The mother just want her child save and she think that church is the only sacred place, how irony it is.

Other than that, I do like the poem ‘Suicide Note’ and ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into A Good Night’ because it tells to steer clear of suicide. I like this poem because it can be understood easily and I already doing the analysis before discussing it with Mr Camillus and other course mate. In addition, I got many evidence from the internet about taking one’s own life and the factors affecting them to commit suicide.

For my very first presentation I think I just read from the slide and did not elaborate more about it which is not good for a teacher. But my last presentation I think I had improved a bit and I will continues improving my presentation skills.

Me: Trecy 

What I learnt in my English Studies class?

So far, I enjoy learning this course. I find it different from learning literature during my secondary school. In the school, the rhyme is usually determined by the last letter but here I learnt that it is determined by the last sound of the words. I am happy that now I know new thing.

Other than that, I realized that literature is not that easy. We have to be smart and very careful in analysing. As I am not really good at that, I am a bit slow to learn the things especially for the poems but I like to do it and listen to the explanations by Mr Camillus and all my coursemates. Their ideas are very good and fascinating.

The literature texts are of different themes. Every text, I learnt about different thing. About life, love, death, happiness and all moods in life and all things regarding the surrounding. I can understand them better. For example, from the poem “What Lips My Lips Have Kissed” and “Sonnet 130”, I can say that love differs with people. Some people have true love inside, they love their partner for who they are, but some are not. Their love is such a cheap love where in the end they regret for doing that foolish thing.

In conclusion, I can say that learning literature is actually very fun (even though sometime I feel sleepy and tired of it) as from here I learn many things that I never think of. Every word or phrase carries their own meaning and I feel very happy when we can discover the hidden meaning of the words. Last but not least, literature is interesting!

(me : cath :-p)

suicide note-janice mirikitani

1. why do people commit suicide?example in real life.
-people tends to commit suicide because they are unable to cope with their problems and stress so they choose this path hoping that it will release them from any burden.they also did not have enough faith to overcome the challenges and problems
-other than that people commit suicide because they have a problem with their special relationships and they cannot find a way to solve it.
-this is an article on a UNIMAS student that choose to take on his life due to so much stress http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/03/31/second-year-student-makes-fatal-leap/

2. what is Mirikitani's agenda for writing this poem?
-to show us what induces ones to take their own life :
a. failure to achieve parent expectation
b. inequality in gender
c. unable to cope with stress
c. disaproval and disappointment

3. as a teacher, what is our role in ensuring that students wouldnot take their own life?
- 1. identify which one is the problem students
2. try to talk to them- identify what are their problems
3. listen to what they try to say so that they would not feel alone
4. try to come up with a solution during the discussion with them
5. always monitoring their emotional progress.

school over

my eyes

keep staring

at the clock

keep staring

at the teacher

wondering...

when he stop to babbler

my hand

beginning to sweat

holding the pen

tap...tap...

tapping the table

sches..sches... 

keep scribling in the book

sitting there quietly

watching attentively

at the clock...

at the bell outside...

wondering...

when is

the school over

gloria 29/09/2011

Happy Day..

day by day
month by month
year by year
now the day has come
after waiting for one month and a half

school
you are
my home, my heaven
you give me knowledge
you give me strength
to face possibilities
and change my life

school
a place where i have a happy day
many friends
to help me a lot in my study
thank you friends
thank you my school..

(trecy - 29 September 2011)

i want!

monday morning..
he dressed in his blue...
and i
staring at him...
why is he..like that...

BYE....!!!

eh, i want to be with him...
walk with him...
hand on hand...

i want his red case..
i want his white shoes..
i want...
i want to be in that suit.......

but all i want is to be
with him
on that cold morning....

~ cath....(29/09/2011, thursday..)(0748 am)

6/9/2011, Tuesday : The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield

TASK 1 – Are you going to continue your party when there is a death in your neighbourhood? (The house of the dead is just two doors from your house.)

If I’m in that condition, I will still continue the party. I say so not because I am a heartless person, but I have to view the condition from other angles. The invitations have been sent and the food is ready; in short, all preparations are almost complete. When the guests come, I will tell them about the death. I will make the party as just a party of thanksgiving as I am 21 already. No loud and hard music is on and the guests are asked to give their respect to the deceased also. The way they can show their respect is not only by going to the deceased’s house, but by showing good behaviour at my house also can give good impression to the neighbour in my area.

Ø  Either the deceased is a YB or a fishmonger, my respect to them is same. Only the small difference is that when a YB dies, many well-known people will come to pay their last visit and as for the fishmonger, mostly ordinary people will come.

So if there is a death during my party, I am sure the guests know how they should behave.

TASK 2 – Write Mrs Sheridan’s diary on the day of her garden party.

(4/4/1902
Dear Friend,

Today I woke up with a good feeling. We are going to have a party. Yeah! A garden party in our beautiful lawn. I am proud of the flowers and I want to show them to the guests. Everything goes on as planned, but after the cream puff man come, it nearly ruined everything. He told about the death of Mr Scott, the cart driver this morning. I feel shocked, but as usual death is an undeniable thing. It is ordinary, but my Laura takes it seriously. She comes to me and persuades me to cancel the well-planned garden party; just because of the death. She says that it is not nice to have a party while others are mourning. I cannot believe her to come up with that idea! But I don’t agree with her. It is not acceptable for me. Meg and Jose also oppose her. Preparations are almost complete and I cannot just cancel everything. So, the party goes on as planned. In the evening, she goes to Mr Scott’s home. She brings along the food scrap. I think she will feel good by doing that. But when she come home, she is crying! I am surprised. She cries in Laurie’s arm. She keeps on saying “isn’t it, isn’t it”. I don’t get what she means but I pretend to know. I feel hard to understand her now. Maybe…she has grows…

I STAND HERE IRONING

LITERARY DEVICES..

Are the things below correct?

1] Foreshadowing
(a) page 44, par. 6-7
explanation : her mother does not care enough of her, she answers her twice only and after that, her mother goes to Susan. this results that when she grows bigger, she always deny her mother's attention towards her. she keeps talking that she is okay...

* comments needed...
(cath)

my interview with the missing wife
while walking in a town i suddenly meet with 'she', she is dressing in a very modern dress which is her dream dress that her husband didn't allow her to dress before.then, i take a few minutes talking with her because i'm too curious to know what happen to her?why did she run away?.
trecy: hi,long time no see.where have you been?
'she': hi,it's a long story if i tell you it will not end until the sun set,and i don't want to think about it anymore it make me feel so sad and it hurt me.even after one year the scar in my heart still pain and i don't know when it will end.
trecy: it's look like you are in a very hurt situation.just be patience,and if you don't mind can i know what the main reason you leave your marriage,husband and your son?
'she': oh,sure.but never talk about me if you meet with my husband i don't want he know where am i.i'm sure you will think i'm crazy to leave my husband and son after you know the reason i leave all of them.but i have no choice,the main reason i leave them is i want to further my study.i don't want to end my study just as a college student.i want to achieve my aspiration as the other student wants.
trecy: i'm not blaming you on what have you done.maybe if i in your situation i will do the same actions as you did.for me to achieve my aspiration is the most important things to do compare to others things.so are you continuing your study right now?
'she': yes,i further my study in a women private college.i take engineering course at the college,this is my aspiration that being stop for a while after married with my husband.but now i'm struggling very hard to achieve it no matter what happen.
trecy: oh, i see.then how about your son?he miss you so much,your mother in-law told me a few days ago when i came to her house.i feel pity for him.
'she':i don't know!i just don't know.let him be like that for a while.yes, i miss him so much but i can't back to the home anymore and i don't want.it will make me hurt again.he will be comfortable and used to be with his father soon.he just need a time.
trecy: maybe yes maybe not. i don't know, it's your opinion and i don't have the right to object it.then how about your relationship with your husband?
'she': i don't know yet,but for this time i really need to avoid meeting with him and i don't want to have any relationship with him anymore.no!no!i don't hate him i just don't want to see him.
tecy: then are you planning to get a divorce with him?
'she': i haven't thinking about it yet but i think i will get a divorce with him.i will think it seriously.but if i continue the marriage after graduated he will surely lock me up in our house he will never let me out to go to work.it makes me hurt.i don't want to live my life as a fully housewife.but if i divorce him surely i will miss my son.it's too complicated to me.
trecy: yes, it's too hard for you to make a decision.but consider your son more,he need your love as a mother.then,beside that are there any reason you leave them?did your mother in-law is a bad person?
'she':that's the problem but i will think it seriously.no, my mother in-law is a good person she love me as her real daughter and i love it.i do really like to wear modern clothes rather than wearing salwaar-kameez and others.i am an American-Indian girl so there's no wrong if i wear American clothes,right.but my husband don't want it,he hates those clothes.
trecy: i have no comment on that.so i think you need to think it more deeply to avoid you from getting regret on what decision you will make later.hmm..i need to go now.thanks for telling me your personal problem.
'she':absolutely.alright and please don't tell anybody about me.i trust you.see you again.
trecy: alright,see you...
'she': bye....
by,
Trecy Barbara Johnius

interview with the wife- why she run away?

This is an exclusive interview between me and the missing Indian wife that become world sensation after a few years of missing. This interview was conduct in a secret place as she feared for her safety. We have sending our reporter, Catherine to interview the famous missing wife,

Gloria: So it has been years that you had been reported missing by your husband. A lot of people has assume that you had died perhaps even your family also has considered you to be dead. What do you think about this matter?

Wife: Well I did hear that a lot of people had thought that I had died few years ago.  To tell the truth I do preferred that this matter just to be left like that. I really do not want to be found by others especially my husband. But like they said you can run but you cannot hide.

Gloria : how life for you after all these years of hiding from everyone? Is it hard to live then?

Wife: Well, life sure is tough when you had to go into hiding. Everyday I was afraid that somebody might know me from the poster that had been distributed. But in the end we know that all of you manage to find me.

Gloria : Tell me why did you run away in the first place? Is it because you had an affair?

Wife: There no such thing of I have other affair. It never been was. The reason on why I left simply because there is no love from me to him. For me it always about the one sided love.

Gloria : Did you ever love him or the marriage simply based on convenience of life?

Wife: The marriage did simply based on convenience of life after married. I do love him but not the point that I want to lead my life with him for the rest of my life. The love is exist but not to the point that both of us wanted.

Gloria : What make you left him then?

Wife: Simply because I want to have my own way of life which meant independent from others. Not to be so dependent toward him. I guessed that I just want to be away from his domineering ways.

Gloria : In what way that he has control over you?

Wife: He does not allow me to go work after we get married. The reason is that he can afford me. So what the point that I had my college certificate if I cannot use it. Is it simply to show to his friend that he had a high educated wife? He also does not want me to go back to school or wear American clothes. He such a conventional minded. He don’t even buy a new car for me with the excuse that I don’t know how to drive. He is making all the decision in the house. I cannot even said no on everything. One day I had enough of it and that is why I left him.

Gloria : Why did you bring along the jewelries instead of your son?

Wife: I really want to bring him together with me but if I do then it will attract a lot of attention from others. So to make as normal as it could I have no choice but to leave him with his father. While the jewelries, I took it just to afford my life while on hiding.

Gloria : do you regret for leaving your husband?

Wife: no I don’t. the only things that I regret is to leave my precious baby with him all along. If I been given a chance, I will still do the same thing except this time I will bringing along my son with me.

Gloria : well thank you so much for the interview. I hope that you will find your own happiness with the right person.

Wife: You’re welcome. I hope that this interview will open up others women eyes about marriage. Thank you.

THE DISAPPEARANCE(PART 2)

1.    Does the title hint at anything ominous (something bad)? How?

2.    The father does not give any indication to the son that his mother is coming back. Why is that so? Do you think it is acceptable to tell a white lie?

3.    Do you think the saying 'out of sight, out of mind' summarises this short story? How?

4.    Do Americans and Indians share the same values? Explain.

Answer:

1.    Yes. As the title of the short story ‘The Disappearance’ indicate that the disappearance of the wife, the lost of trust between the couple as the wife run away along with jewelleries.

2.    The father does not give any indication to his son because he does not want to put the false hope toward his son that his mother will be coming back soon.

For me some time it is alright for us to tell a little white lie. This is because we are trying to be considered toward others’ feeling and to give them a little confidence. But too much of white lie is not good either because it can grow into one big fat lie. I think that the father is trying to prevent himself to tell his son a big fat lie as the son soon will find out the truth.

3.    No he still think about his wife whether she  still alive or is she okay. but in the end of story he tried not to think about his wife as he went for a deep and sleepless night.

4.    No because the Americans a bit more free in doing things in their life while the Indian are more likely to be constraint in doing such things. The Indian especially the wife would all the decisions made by the husband whether they like it or not which is opposite with Americans wife as they will objected the husband decisions if they do not agree with it. For the Indians the husband is the man of the house and they had obeyed their husband. This happened a lot for those less educated Indians wife compare to Americans wife.

interview with "she" : the disappear wife

NAME : CATHERINE JANET ANAK TIWI

COURSE : ENGLISH STUDY

DATE : 16/8/2011, TUESDAY (TIME : 0815 – 0915)

TASK : INTERVIEW WITH THE DISSAPEAR WIFE

>> I DON’T LOVE HIM, I LIKE HIM BUT I LEAVE HIM! <<

“I leave him because he is not as nice as what is described. I don’t think I fully love him. At first, I think it shall be okay as time go by. Even though in the first part, I hesitate to take me into my life. I cannot feel my true love for him. But as he wants me to be his bride, I have to. In addition, it is not good to reject him as he looks sincere towards me and he wills to fly all the way to see me.

It happens smoothly at first part of our marriage, but it turns out every day. One thing that makes me feel bad towards him is that he likes to force me to have intimate relationship with him. He doesn’t know, but I know! I don’t love him with all my heart and I feel it is harassment to force me doing what I feel not comfortable with.

The last way that I think of is to run away from him. Even though I have my little boy left, it does not change my mind. I think it is better and safer for him to be with his dad. I am a newcomer at America so I don’t know a lot about this place. I don’t feel confident about my plan but I have to go on. I need freedom! I took all the jewelleries that he gave me during our wedding. I sold them and with the money I travelled to New York and there I met a mid-age lady. She was a widow actually. She offered me to work at her boutique. More than that, she invited me to stay with her as she lived alone after her only daughter got married. There we lived like a mother and a daughter. She treated me nicely. When she saw the advertisement that my husband posted on the paper, she advised me to return to him but I refused. I told her the whole things. What a surprised! She had been in my shoes! So, she decided to agree and let me stay with her.

And now, as I was found, I want to say that I really miss my son. I miss to be with him like what we used to last time. I still remember my husband, but just remember. Not more than that. I know that he is still my husband even though it is just stated on a paper. I am thinking on asking him to divorce me. My son will be with him but I must have a time to be with him also. I am independent now and I feel I am strong enough to be in this society. I had told my family about our situation. “Choose the best for your life,” they said. For this meanwhile, I will spend my time here before thinking of going back to my hometown.

11/8/2011 TASK : THE THEME FOR THE JADE BRACELET & COMPARISON WITH LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

The main theme for The Jade Bracelet is LOVE. It can be seen from the character of Mrs. Wong. She really loves her sick mother that she will to be with her at her dying time until she dies. She treats her nicely. We can see that she prepares the breakfast broth for her mother on her own. Besides that, she discards the chopsticks to pick her mother's bone because she declares her mother is perfectly clean. This clearly shows that she loves her mother very much.

The short story Lamb to the Slaughter also shares the same theme. Mary Maloney loves her husband very much that she dares to kill him. she uses the frozen lamb leg's and hit it at her husband's back of head. She did that because she didn't want her husband to leave her.

Positive Ending

By: Catherine, Gloria & Trecy
Time passed by, Siew May grew up but the memory is still in her mind. Her relastion between her mother and her uncle becomes cold. By the times Ah Kow has sold the Jade Bracelet, his life was miserable. Mrs Wong regretted for what she had done. If only she didin't passed the jade to Ah Kow, the jade will remained untill now with the family. The jade remained mystery until now.



By: Joe & Darrel

         As time goes by, Siew May still had a hole in her heart for years and somehow being far away from home, it slowly started to heal. She may know that she was the one who deserved the bracelet but deeply inside her heart, she discovered that who ever received the bracelet, it will not affect her relationship with her family. The bracelet is still with Ah Kow and once a year, he will wear it to celebrate the grandmother's death anniversary. Siew May always smiles and remembers her grandmother's words whenever she see Ah Kow wear it. What Siew May wants is she hopes that the bracelet will remains as their family's treasure in order to remember the existance of her grandmother.

This is the recordings on Uncle's Teng view.

THE JADE BRACELET (PART 1)

TASK

1. What is the relationship between Mrs Wong and Mrs Lee?
2. Is Mrs Wong a filial daughter? Give three reasons.
3. What is Ah Kow's real name? How is he related to the dying woman in the short story?
4. Why is Sam Poh Tong mentioned in the short story?
5. What do you think the jade bracelet symbolises? Give your reasons.
6. Do you think Siew May is naive? Cite your reasons with quotations.
7. Did Siew May get the jade bracelet in the end? Why?
8. Do you like the story? Why?

ANSWER

1.    MRS WONG PERHAPSMRS LEE’S SISTER IN LAW.

2.    YES BECAUSE SHE NEVER COMPLAINT NOT EVEN ONCE WHEN TAKING CARE OF HER SICK MOTHER.SECOND, SHE BOUGHT THE MOST FINEST COFFIN FOR HER MOTHER WITH THE BEST WOOD AND VARNISHED.THIRDLY, SHE THE ONE THAT HANDLED EVERYTHING FROM THE START (HER MOTHER’S ILL) TO THE END(HER MOTHER’S FUNERAL).

3.    AH KOW’S REAL NAME IS FOOK KEE.HE IS THE DYING WOMAN ONLY SON AND THE ONE WHO FINALLY INHERITED THE BRACELET.

4.    BECAUSE THAT IS THE PLACE WHERE THEY HELD THE FUNERAL AND CREAMENATE MRS LEE’S BODY AFTER SHE DIES. AS THE HINT FOR READER THAT MRS WONG FAMILIES ARE BUDDHA.

5.    THE JADE BRACELET SYMBOLISED LIFE.THIS IS BECAUSE THAT WHEN THE GRANDMOTHER WAS ALIVE THE COLOUR OF JADE IS CLEAR GREEN BUT WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY THE COLOUR TURNED INTO SEMI WHITE LIKE CONCRETE ASH.IT SEEM THAT THE JADE LOSSED IT COLOUR WHEN ITS OWNER DIED.

6.    YES BECAUSE SHE STILL A CHILD. SHE TOLD EVERYONE THAT SHE WANTED TO GO HOME AND GRANDMOTHER WILL BE WAITING ALONE AT HOME WHILE WE KNOW THAT HER GARNDMOTHER ALREADY PASSED AWAY.

7.    NO, BECAUSE THE JADE FINALLY HANDED OVER TO HER UNCLE AS HE IS THE ONLY SON OF THE FAMILY AND DUBIOUS MALE SUCCESSOR.

THE BIRTHDAY


Plot
Exposition
The protagonist was staring outside from the window looking at the baby who's mother was giving him a bath, when grandmother called her from the ground floor.

Rising Action
Grandmother introduced her to Uncle Teng and had arranged her marriage with him. After  a while, she got up, do the dishes, then, went to her room and tidied herself. After that, Grandmother asked her to call C.B.

Climax
During the dinner time, the protagonist was very concerned about the cockroach. As for the consequences, she spilled the curry on Uncle Teng's trouser.

Falling Action
The protagonist cleaned up the mess and at the same time, being scolded by Grandmother. Then, Grandmother did not allowed her to eat dinner.

Resolution
After the incident, the protagonist went to her room. Grandmother then entered her room and cursed her to be a splinter for the rest of her life.

Main Component of Birthday by Lee Kok Liang

Theme
1.social issue
- arranged marriage by elder.in this story the progtagonist's grandmother had plan an arranged marriage for her with an old man named Uncle Teng.At that era, most women whose aged same as progtagonist had already married and has children.The progtagonist also desired to get marry and have child of her own.this can be seen on first two paragraphs of the short story.
2.racial community
-It is a common things for people that period of time to addressed the English men as ''RED HAIRED'' man as indication of european's hair colour.
Character 
1.SHE
-the progtagonist of the story.
-25 years old
-maiden
-round character
-hokkien desent
2.grandmother
-flat character
-symbol of authority
-the most senior character
-protagonist's grandmother

wise mary...

the scene...

we acted on the scene where the policemen investigated mary's house. she then offered them for a supper. the policemen refused, but mary was such a good actress! she pretended innocent and alas the policemen said yes.. they had a supper of the murder weapon-the lamb's leg..until they finished it up, they did not realised that they had helped mary to vanished the murder weapon..! the murder is not a man, but it it is the INNOCENT MARY MALONEY...!!!

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

reflection on the short story:
mary maloney is a good actress.she kills her husband but pretends to be innocent.even the policemen do not suspect her.there is irony in this story- the police eat up the murder weapon!the title itself-lamb to the slaughter-in the beginning of the story,mary just like the lamb,an innocent housewife and mother to be but by the end she became slaughter by kills her husband,patrick.